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“Suraksha” student insurance scheme resumed on President’s directive
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed the resumption of the “Suraksha” student insurance program, which was temporarily suspended due to economic challenges. Starting from the first week of June, all school students across the island will once again be able to benefit from this insurance scheme.
The Cabinet recently approved a Joint Cabinet Memorandum presented by President Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policy, and the Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha.
“Suraksha” student insurance was originally implemented in 2017 by the then Prime Minister, based on a concept by President Wickremesinghe. The program aims to ensure continuous education for students affected by health issues and to increase school attendance by safeguarding student safety. It ran until December 1, 2022, but had to be temporarily halted due to economic constraints.
With the current economic recovery, President Wickremesinghe has allocated Rs. 2000 million in the 2024 budget to revive the “Suraksha” student insurance program. The goal is to strengthen the program to develop the human resources necessary for a developed Sri Lanka by 2048.
The insurance will cover health and accident insurance for approximately 4.5 million students aged 5 to 21 in government, government-approved private, and private schools (grades one to 13), as well as students aged 4 to 21 in special schools. Additionally, the program proposes life insurance benefits for students from low-income families, defined as those earning less than Rs. 180,000 annually, which includes coverage for the death of a parent.
The anticipated benefits for all students under this program include:
1. Health Insurance:
- Inpatient Treatment Benefits: Up to Rs. 300,000 (in Government or Private Hospitals). For each night spent in a government hospital for a child’s treatment, Rs. 2500 will be provided to the parents (regardless of admission to a government hospital, to assist with expenses incurred during the child’s illness). Additionally, for each night spent in private accommodation, Rs. 7500 will be granted.
- Outpatient Treatment Benefit: Up to Rs. 20,000. This category covers payments for spectacles for pre-existing eye conditions, hearing aids for hearing loss, and laboratory test fees conducted by external hospitals during children’s illnesses.
- Critical Illness Benefit: Ranging from Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 1,500,000.
2. Accident Insurance:
- Total Permanent Disability: Rs. 200,000.
- Permanent Partial Disability: Ranging from Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 200,000.
- Temporary Disability: Ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000.
3. Life Insurance:
- In the event of a parent’s death, students from low-income families will receive Rs. 75,000 per student for one parent. Benefits cover both parents. All school-going children in the family are eligible for benefits, with a maximum allocation of Rs. 225,000 per case (Rs. 75,000 each for a maximum of 3 children).
For the implementation of this insurance program, the Ministry of Education will establish an agreement with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. A special system will be established to expedite the provision of benefits to school students, with benefits being delivered through the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation’s online platform within one week.
The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation will transfer entitled benefit funds to the respective bank accounts of the children’s parents. To ensure the program’s success, government officials, including school principals and village officers, will establish a coordinated mechanism under the supervision of the State Revenue Unit of the Presidential Secretariat.
This program is a joint effort between the Ministry of Education, the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, and the State Revenue Unit of the Presidential Secretariat.
Ireland Women 118/9 in 20 overs (Alana Dalzelle 14, Orla Prendergast 26, Leah Paul 10, Alice Tector 10, Louise Little 26*; Lauren Bell 1-39, Linsey Smith 1-20, Sophie Ecclestone 3-22, Charlie Dean 2-11, Dani Gibson 2-10) lost to England Women 119/6 in 17.3 overs (Dani Wyatt Hodge 16, Nat Sciver-Brunt 48, Heather Knight 26; Aimee Maguire 2-23, Orla Prendergast 2-17) by 4 wickets
Lionel Messi marked his record sixth World Cup appearance with his first hat-trick at a FIFA tournament as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 to open the defence of their global crown, he also became the joint highest scorer at World Cups with the feat.
The former 38-year-old forward thought he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute in Kansas City on Tuesday when he slotted home from close range, but the offside flag was raised.
The dream start to his record-setting appearance, which will be matched by Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against DR Congo on Wednesday, was not to be denied for long though.
A trademark, mazy run was capped by a drive on the edge of the box from that famed left foot. The power too much for Algeria keeper Luca Zidane, son of World Cup winner with France, Zinidine.
Messi doubled his tally on the hour mark with a simple tap in from a rebound off the keeper following a drive from Alexis Mac Allister.
The moment that even a player as decorated as Messi came in the 76th minute when he drilled low past the keeper from just outside the box.
The strike took Messi level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.
His substitution came just three minutes later to a standard ovation, even old maestro seemed disappointed to be removed – and most likely rested for Argentina’s tilt at becoming only the third side to defend a World Cup title.
Algeria – the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners – offered little, but were themselves denied an early goal when Fares Chaibi’s ninth minute strike was ruled out for offside.
Messi saw to it that there was no opening game upset to be had tat this edition, having lost their opening game at Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia.
Messi, who spent the majority of his club career in Spain with Barcelona before moving to French giants Paris-Saint Germain, plys his trade in US football’s Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.
Jordan and Austria open their account in the group later on Tuesday in San Francisco.
[Aljazeera]
United States sprinter Noah Lyles has set the world’s best-ever time over the rarely-run 150 metres race, clocking 14.67 seconds at the Golden Spike meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava.
The 28-year-old Lyles on Tuesday beat the previous best of 14.72 set by Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in Florida in April.
At Ostrava, Lyles beat Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa with 14.78, while Australian teenager Gout Gout finished third in 14.96.
“Was there ever any doubt? Was there ever any doubt? We came for a show,” an elated Lyles told Czech TV.
Earlier this month, Lyles took a comfortable win at the Wanda Diamond League meet in Rome with a 9.88 in the 100m, his fastest since clinching gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The high-energy, anime-loving showman has had strong indoor and outdoor performances throughout the year so far, and was named on this year’s Time100 list of the most influential people.
Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol had to bow to in-form Swiss Audrey Werro in her outdoor debut in the 800m.
The 26-year-old Broeders-Bol has switched from 400m hurdles, in which she had won two world gold medals, and clocked an impressive 1 minute 57.13 seconds for second place.
“It was so cool, I love racing in Ostrava. It was tough, but I enjoyed it,” she said.
Broeders-Bol has also claimed multiple medals as the anchor leg in 4x400m relay teams, notably a gold in the mixed event in the Paris Olympics.
She ran her first 800m since 2017 in February, clocking a national record of 1 minute 59.07 seconds before withdrawing from the rest of the indoor season to nurse a foot injury.
The 22-year-old Werro won in 1 minute 54.45 seconds, half a second behind her personal best from March, after shedding Broeders-Bol with 200 metres to run.
“It was a really crazy run, but the time is very good, so I’m really happy,” Werro said.
Having set the eighth best time ever, she stayed over a second behind the oldest world record in athletics of 1:53.28 set in 1983 by Jarmila Kratochvilova of then-Czechoslovakia, who watched the race from the stands.
South Africa’s 20-year-old Bayanda Walaza won the men’s 100m as he equalled his personal best of 9.94 seconds, beating Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon with 9.99 seconds.
US favourites Ronnie Baker and Jordan Anthony were demoted to the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, with times well over 10 seconds.
[Aljazeera]
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